In his column for the Daily Mail, Keown wrote: "Everyone is going to be talking about Arsenal's impressive 3-0 win at Manchester City coinciding with Cesc Fabregas's return to the side last week but what has pleased me more has been Marouane Chamakh's form.

"He came in during the summer and has had a really positive effect on the team. You can trust him in possession. Arsenal's system means they have midfielders arriving from deep but that relies on having someone up front who can hold up the ball and bring others into play.

"Chamakh's pace and strength in the air give the side other options going forward but it is his composure on the ball that is most impressive.

"Arsenal don't wait for their front man to get control of the ball before they break forward from midfield and in the past they have been punished because of that when Robin van Persie has been injured.

"The runners can trust him to get the ball to them. It is not something you get with Nicklas Bendtner, whose decision-making is not at the level it should be. Chamakh's form means that Andrey Arshavin is probably the player most under threat once Van Persie is fit.

"You get the sense that people are playing for their places because they know how much quality there is in the squad now. Look at Samir Nasri. He is playing with a real urgency and is becoming the jinking, probing, free-spirited player Arsene Wenger thought he had signed. He is working hard for his team when they lose possession but he will need to maintain that if Arsenal are going to win anything."